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ST. LOUIS, Feb. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty biopharmaceutical company, believes establishing a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in Missouri is a critical step toward fighting prescription drug abuse. As a company with more than 2,000 employees in Missouri, Mallinckrodt strongly supports the Narcotics Control Act (HB 1892), which would implement a common sense, patient-focused PDMP with strong privacy protections.

Mallinckrodt stands with the more than 40 Missouri-based groups and national partners, including law enforcement officials, physicians, pharmacists, prevention and substance abuse groups, and concerned citizens who are urging legislators to pass this important legislation without further delay.

Below is an open letter from the company to Missouri residents.

Dear Fellow Missourians:

Establishing a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in Missouri is a critical step toward fighting our state's prescription drug abuse problem, and it is within reach of becoming a reality. As a company with more than 2,000 employees in Missouri, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals strongly supports the Narcotics Control Act (HB 1892). This proposed law awaits a vote in the Missouri House of Representatives and would implement a common sense, patient-focused PDMP with strong privacy protections.

Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem across America, but nowhere is this issue more evident than in Missouri. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, deaths from prescription drugs have more than quadrupled in Missouri over the past 10 years, creating a strain on our families and communities.

Having a robust PDMP in every state is a primary recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce abuse of pain medications. As the lone state in the country without a PDMP, Missouri is missing an essential tool for fighting this serious problem. Local and national experts have spent countless hours reviewing other state programs to ensure that a Missouri PDMP would implement best practices for protecting patient privacy while helping doctors and pharmacists uncover "doctor shoppers" and "pill mills."

For the past several years, Mallinckrodt and our employees have been supporting legislation such as the Narcotics Control Act. We stand with the more than 40 Missouri-based groups and national partners, including law enforcement officials, physicians, pharmacists, prevention and substance abuse groups, and concerned citizens who are urging legislators to pass this important legislation without further delay. And now we are asking for your help.

As we approach a final opportunity this year to pass a PDMP law in 2016, we urge you to ask your member of the Missouri House of Representativesto pass HB 1892, the Narcotics Control Act, to ensure that our physicians, pharmacists and communities across Missouri have the tools they need to address the serious problem of prescription drug abuse. You can find your legislator by entering your zip code at www.house.mo.gov.

ABOUT MALLINCKRODTMallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology and pulmonology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials; deep regulatory expertise; and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com.

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